C-reactive protein and incidence of type 2 diabetes in the Pizarra study

Abstract

Aim: To determine the association between serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and the incidence of type 2 diabetes in a prospective cohort from southern Spain (Pizarra study).

Materials and methods: The study formed part of the Pizarra cohort study, a prospective study started in 1995 with a follow-up of 11 years. Anthropometric and metabolic variables were measured at baseline and at 6 years and 11 years of follow-up. All subjects underwent an oral glucose tolerance test. Serum levels of TNFα and its receptors, hs-CRP, IL-6, leptin, adiponectin and FABP4 were measured at 6 years of follow-up.

Results: After adjusting for age, sex and obesity, subjects with levels of hs-CRP> 2.9 mg/L in the second study (2003-4) had a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes by the third study (2008-9) (OR = 7.97; 95% CI = 1.72-36.89; P = 0.008), and subjects with adiponectin levels > 13.2 mg/L had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes (OR = 0.23, P = 0.02). High values of hs-CRP and high values of adiponectin were associated positively (OR = 8.26; 95% CI = 1.84-37.19; P = 0.006) and negatively (OR = 0.17; 95% CI = 0.04-0.69; P = 0.01), respectively, with the risk of having HbA1c ≥ 6.5% at 11 years of follow-up.

Conclusions: Subjects with high serum hs-CRP levels and low serum adiponectin levels have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes within five years.